


Family Matters

by blakefancier



Series: A Perfect World [13]
Category: Captain America (2011)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-13
Updated: 2012-04-13
Packaged: 2017-11-03 14:18:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/382255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blakefancier/pseuds/blakefancier
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Howard takes Steve home to meet the family.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Family Matters

Howard has always hated Tuesdays. Whenever something goes wrong, as things are wont to do, it is always on a Tuesday. So it shouldn't surprise him when the door to his office opens and his mother walks through the door.

"Mother," Howard says and stumbles to his feet when she gives him a disapproving look that says he's failed at good manners. Again. Still, a disapproving look is better than a switch across the hand. He walks over to her, presses a kiss to her cheek, and wonders why the hell she's here. "I didn't expect to see you here. Today. Here today."

She arches an eyebrow and he forces himself not to cringe; he's a grown man for God's sake. "Might I take a seat?"

_Take whatever the hell you want._

"Oh, right." He pulls out a chair for her, and when she's seated, he sits on his desk. "So to what do I owe this honor?" 

"Your brother is coming home on Friday and we're throwing him a welcome home dinner."

"Already?" Howard frowns and glances at the calendar on his desk. Huh, he did let time get away from him.

"Can your father and I expect to see you there, Howard? Or will this be like Sunday dinners?" There is pure contempt in her voice.

Howard grinds his teeth to keep from apologizing. "I've been busy."

She stares at him and he meets her eyes; he's still the first one to look away. "Hopefully, you're not too busy for your brother. He would be horribly disappointed if you didn't attend." 

"Yeah… I…" Howard's mind races as he tries to come up with a good excuse.

"Let me rephrase that." She pins him with a glare. "You *will* attend dinner on Friday or I will make your life very uncomfortable. Understood?"

His mouth goes dry at her tone and he nods vigorously because he knows his mother doesn't make idle threats.

"Good. You may bring that friend of yours, the one that has charmed Mrs. Chanler." 

He nods again and sees her out.

"Fuck," he says softly to himself. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" 

*****

"So," Howard says, staring at his pork chop as if it's going to move of its own volition, "my mother came by the office today." 

"I heard. How did it go?"

He looks up in surprise. "You *heard?* How did you hear?"

Steve shrugs and looks amused. "The secretarial pool likes me and they know *everything.* They're worse gossips than Morita and Dugan combined."

Howard grumbles softly. "It went fine. Eddie's coming home for the summer and my parents are having a dinner for him. Mother wanted me to know that attendance is mandatory. She… She also wanted me to extend an invitation to you."

"Really?" Steve blinks in surprise. "Oh. Do you think I'll need to buy a new suit or can I get away with the one I already have?"

"You don't have to go. As a matter of fact, I think you should stay home." Dear God, the very idea of Steve being in the same room with his parents makes his skin crawl.

"You don't want me to go?" And Steve sounds hurt, which is not what Howard wants at all.

"Steve, *I* don't want to go. I wouldn't except that it's for Eddie and I haven't seen him in nine months. Look, we can invite Eddie over for dinner in a few weeks." He touches Steve's hand. "I'd love for you two to meet. I just… I don't think you'd enjoy yourself on Friday."

Steve looks at Howard and says, softly, "I want to meet your parents."

He squeezes Steve's hand. "God, why?" 

"Because they're your parents and I'll have to meet them sometime. At least this way, they'll be on their best behavior." 

"It's sweet that you think that, Steve." Damn, but Steve's probably right. It is probably better if he meets them sooner than later. "Fine. Fine, if you really want to come, I'm not going to stop you. But don't say I didn't warn you."

Steve smiles. "Howard, relax. I faced down Johann Schmidt."

"My parents are worse," Howard says and Steve laughs.

He wishes he were joking.

*****

Howard has always hated his parents' house. He hates its oppressive stuffiness and the crushing memories—none of them good—that haunt the shadows. And if it weren't for Eddie, he would never enter that house again. 

But there *is* Eddie. Eddie who is twelve years younger than Howard and used to stumble after him like an enthusiastic puppy. Eddie, who isn't the sharpest tool in the shed, never has been, but makes up for it in pure sweetness of spirit. 

Eddie is the kindest, most gentle person Howard has ever known, and it's honestly mystifying that he's a Stark. And not just to Howard. He's seen his parents look at Eddie with incredulous wonder, like he's an untouched flower in their field of destruction. 

So he braves his parents house, time and time again, for his little brother. For Eddie. 

*****

Howard should have guessed that Eddie would be waiting for him, but to be honest, he's thinking about other things. Like how he's going to keep his parents away from Steve. So when he walks into the foyer, he's surprised when he's tackled to the ground.

"Howie!" Eddie laughs and hugs him tightly. "Mom said you might not come, but I knew you would! I knew you'd come to my welcome home dinner."

He hugs back, briefly, then shoves at Eddie. "Your knee is pressed against my kidney."

"You always said the liver was the most important organ." Eddie rolls off him and grins. "So when are you gonna wipe that smudge of dirt off your upper lip?"

Howard scowls and nudges Eddie in the ribs. "When you stop sleeping with a teddy bear."

Eddie flushes bright red. "Ambrose is a family heirloom!" 

He snorts and would say more, but Steve clears his throat and offers Howard a hand up, which he takes. "Oh, Eddie, I'd like you to meet a friend of mine. Steve Rogers, this is my brother Edward Stark."

Eddie scrambles to his feet. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Rogers."

"Nice to meet you, Edward. I've heard so much about you. And please, call me Steve," says Steve, and Howard rolls his eyes because he and Eddie will probably spend most of the night trying to out-polite one another.

"Then please, call me Eddie. Only my mom calls me Edward. How do you know my brother, Mr… Steve?"

"Howard and I met during the war."

"You were a soldier?" Eddie quivers and Howard stifles a groan because he forgot how fascinated Eddie is by the military. 

"Yes."

"Did you see action? Where were you stationed? What was your rank?" Eddie is practically bouncing.

Howard puts a hand on Eddie's arm and laughs. "Geez, Eddie, give him some room. You can talk to him later, bur right now let's go see Mother and Dad, okay?

Eddie deflates slightly, then suddenly perks up. "You can sit next to me at dinner, Steve." 

Steve smiles, looking a little dazed. "Alright." 

"Dad and Mother are in the formal living room. I'll announce you!" Eddie rushes out of the room.

Steve blinks rapidly, then glances at Howard and smirks. "Howie?"

He scowls. "Don't."

"Oh, but, Howie!" Steve says, then laughs when Howard growls and threatens to call him 'Stevie.' 

Howard grabs Steve's hand and tugs. "Come on, let's go before my parents decide to send a search party." He doesn't let go of Steve's hand, refuses to let go of Steve's hand, until they're standing in front of his parents. His dad scowls at both of them, but his mother plants a bland smile on her face.

"You're late, my dear," she says in her most disappointed voice.

And Howard knows he should let it go because it's a trap, but he can't help himself. "It's six-thirty. We always have dinner at seven." 

She sighs and shakes her head. "We haven't had dinner at seven in *months,* Howard. You'd know that if you came to dinner. Besides, I distinctly told you to be here at six."

"No, you didn't." Howard raises his voice slightly and tenses.

"Yes, I did." She takes his hand and gives it a squeeze. "It's all right, dear, I know you're preoccupied with the business. Leading has never been your strong suit. You've always been more of a follower. It's a good thing you have Obadiah to help you."

"I'm doing fine!" he says and Steve steps closer.

"Right," his father growls at him. "How many times has the board tried to oust you again?" 

Steve gives him a startled look and Howard's face grows hot with embarrassment.

"Well, no matter," his mother says. "Are you going to introduce us to your friend, or do we have to do it ourselves?" She turns to Steve. "I apologize for his atrocious manners. We did bring him up better than this."

"It's… alright?" Steve looks confused and upset.

Howard takes a deep breath and says, his voice trembling slightly, "Mother, Dad, I'd like you to meet Captain Steve Rogers." Steve gives him a surprised look, but he ignores it. "Steve, these are my parents, Howard and Ruth Stark."

"It's very nice to meet you both. Howard has… has told me so much about you." Steve shakes his father's hand, then turns to his mother, who laughs and takes Steve's arm.

"Well, I hope he's been kind in his description of us. Captain Rogers," she says, leading him away, probably to pick his brain about Mrs. Chanler. 

"Howard is always kind to the people he loves, Mrs. Stark," Steve replies. Which is truth enough, Howard supposes.

He looks over at his father, who is glaring at him. "Mother wanted me to bring him," he says, and he's not even sure why he's trying to explain himself. 

"So you did. You brought your—"

"Friend. I brought my friend." Howard isn't going to let him say bad things about Steve. "And he's a guest in your house, Dad. A guest."

His dad's face reddens and he takes a step towards Howard. Howard does not take a step back. "Don't you tell me how to treat my guests, you perverted little queer." 

The threat of physical violence hangs between them for a moment and Howard fights the urge to grab Steve and go. Instead, he assesses the situation. There are two ways Howard can handle this; he doesn't want the one that will end in bloodshed. That is, his blood being shed. He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. "I need a drink."

His dad gives him a disgusted look and gestures to the bar. "You know where the alcohol is." Then his dad stalks away, shoving Howard aside with his shoulder.

Howard pours himself a couple of fingers of scotch, then stares out the window. He's not surprised when Eddie joins him. "Mother won't let you get a word in edgewise?"

Eddie sighs and leans his head against Howard's shoulder. "No. Are you okay?" 

"Aren't I always?" He smiles and nudges Eddie in the ribs. "Don’t worry, summer will fly by. And you can come visit us any time you want while you're home."

"No, I can't." Eddie makes a small sound of frustration. "Mother says they're going to Richford for the summer. Richford, Howie!"

"There's nothing wrong with Richford, Ed. It's a perfectly nice town and the house there has a pool." He sips his drink.

"It's boring!" Eddie looks up at him. "Mother says I don’t have to go if I don't want to. She says I could stay with you. Dad didn't like the idea." He frowns. "I don't know why. I've stayed with you before."

"Who knows," Howard says, ignoring the twinge of anger. What is Dad afraid Howard is going to do to Eddie? "But I don't think that’s going to work out this time, Ed. I'm going to be really busy this summer and Steve is staying with me."

"Howie! I'm sixteen years old, I don't need you to babysit me. Besides, I bet Steve won't mind. He seems like swell guy and it'll give me a chance to hear all his war stories! Please, Howie? Please? I don't want to stay in Richford for the summer."

Howard sighs and drains his glass. "Tell you what, I'll think about it, okay?"

"Okay." Eddie grins and hugs Howard like his staying is a forgone conclusion. "You're the best!"

*****

"Your brother is very nice, Howard," Steve says, when they're finally home.

Howard groans and flops back onto the bed. "I gave you a chance to back out. I want you to remember that."

"It wasn't that bad." Steve pulls off Howard's shoes and socks, then unbuttons his shirt.

No, it was horrible. His mother kept making disparaging remarks about him and all his dad had done all night was glower at everyone. "What's your definition of bad?"

"Someone could have got shot?" Steve straddles his hips and presses a kiss to his mouth. "They could have been worse."

"You've only just met them, Steve. They were just warming up." Howard cups the back of Steve's head and deepens the kiss. "Mmm. I want you."

"You have me." Steve smiles and licks his mouth. "Your brother can stay the summer with us, if you want him to. I don't mind."

"You heard that?" Howard arches up against Steve to hear him moan.

"Yeah." Steve grinds down against Howard's erection. "Yeah, do that again."

He does it again and is rewarded with another press of Steve's hips. Fuck, fuck, that's good. "We'll have to be careful. We'll have to *hide* in our own house."

"It's only for the summer, Howard. B-Besides, I want to get to know him better." Steve groans. "I wanna fuck you. I wanna fuck you right now."

"Get the Vaseline," Howard says, shoving Steve away and undressing. "I'll talk to Eddie tomorrow."

Steve nips his shoulder and rolls away. "It'll be fun having him here."

Howard hopes to hell that Steve is right.

**Author's Note:**

> This story took *forever* to write. FOREVER! But now it's done. *Whew!*
> 
> P.S. My Howard *hates* being called 'Howie.' But he loves his brother, so, you know. 
> 
> P.P.S God, only a couple of weeks until The Avengers. I can hardly wait!


End file.
